Folding shipping-crate for eggs.



C. C. DALTON.

FOLDING SHIPPING CRATE FOR EGGS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. 1914.

1,168/184. Patented Jan.18,1916.

DQHOD attorney THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM (10., WASHINGTON, D. c.

FOLDING SHIPPING-CRATE FOR EGGS.

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Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented as... is, rare.

Application filed November 23, 1914. Serial No. 873,593.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CILos C. DALTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Star, in the county of Carroll and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Shipping- Crates for Eggs; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to crates and particularly to egg crates.

One of theobjects of this invention-isto provide an arrangement whereby the crate can be readily folded to be transshipped back to the original shipping point.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the crate can be readily locked in assembled and open position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby every element of space that possibly can be utilized is utilized. And a still further object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby locking means is provided to readilylock the crate either, in open or closed position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more clearly set forth in the specifications and pointed out in the claims.

Similar characters of reference, refer to similar parts throughout the specifications and drawings, in which,

Figure l is a perspective elevation of the crate in open position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the lid removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lid. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of part of the crate taken on line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of part of the crate taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one end of the latch device. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the hook device, and Fig. 8 is a detail sectionalfview showing a modified form of fastener for the cover.

In the drawings 1 is the body of the crate proper and 2 the cover thereof, said body and cover being constructed of wood the body portion being composed respectively of the bottom 3, a front section 4 fixed to the bottom, a front wall 5 hinged to the front section 4, a rear section 6 fixed to the bottom, a rear wall 7 hinged to the rear section 6 and end sections 8 and 9 hinged to the bottom section. The cover 2 is com posed of the cover portion 10, front and back sections 11 and end sections 12, the end sections 12 having a recess or finger grasp 13 formed therein. The edge portions of the bottom 3 and lid 2 are suitably reinforced by metallic strips 1% fastened by suitable screws 15 if it is so desired.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, the bottom 3 has fastened to it at 16, metallic strips or bands 17 and 18, said bands running lengthwise of the bottom and parallel and adjacent to the longitudinal edges thereof, said strips or bands ending short of the ends of the bottom and formed into suitable hinges l9 and 20, to which the end sections 8 and 9 are hinged in such manner that said end sections 8 and 9 will fold inward and lay fiat against the inner surface of the bottom 3. A central partition 21 is likewise hinged as at 22 and 23 to the central portion of each of said strips 17 and 18 and adapted to fold over and lie upon the inner surface ofthe endsection 9, the hinge points of the partition being raised above the bottom 3 a distance equal to the thickness-of the end ,wall, while the paste board cells and sections used in the crate in the shipment of eggs, etc., are adapted to lie upon the outer surface of the end 8 when in folded position thus equalizing the space with the opposite half of the crate. The hinged front wall 5 is then adapted to fold over and lie upon the central artition 21 and the paste board cells and sections, the rigid strip 4 being raised for this purpose after which the rear hinged wall 7 is adapted to fold upon the wall 5, the rigid section 6 being slightly elevated above the section 4 to allow of this operation. The cover 2 is then lowered over the folded crate so that the crate when in folded position appears as though it was but the cover as seen in Fig. 3.

The cover 2 is intended to have its side and end portions 11 both when in folded and open position, the open position being shown very clearly in the sectional view of Fig. l. Suitable apertures are formed in the upper portion of the hinged walls 5 and 7 as at 24 while apertures 25 are formed in the side portions 11 and adaptedto register with the apertures .24 through which suitable thimbles or sleeves 26 and 27 are mounted while suitable nut devices-28 are rigidly fastened to the inner faces of the front and rear walls 5 and 7.

men. I

and 12 overlap the crate formed in said metallic strips.

is extended to form a hook,

A screw bolt 29 is then passed through each of the thimbles 26 and 27 and threaded into the nuts 28 thereby locking the cover into place. The rigid front and rear sections 4: and 6 are likewise provided with apertures 29 for the reception ofthe screw bolts 29 to secure the cover in position when the crate is in knocked down condition. The

A second metallic strip 35 is positioned across the top edges of each of the end sections 8 and 9 and secured thereto by any suitable fastening means 36 passing through the apertures 87 formed in the strips 35. The end portions ofthe strips 35 are bent at right angles, as at thereofare bifurcated as at 39. This bifurcated end portion is adapted to be snapped over the'hook portion 33 of the extending portion 32 of the strip 30 therebylocking the ends 8 and 9 in assembled position with the side portions 5 and '7. By this arrangementa quick locking device is formed which is readily snapped intoassembled position or released from assembled position to allow the parts of the crate to be folded, said action being simply performed by raising the free ends of the strip 35 as is obviously apparent from Fig. 5 of the drawings. Suitable right angular lugs 39 and 40 are mounted upon the inner surface of eachof the walls 5 and '7 and adapted to "seat in suitable recesses ll and 42 in each. side edge ofthe central partition 21 to support said partition in vertical position when said crate ism setup posltlon, these lockmg lugs being suitably snapped into position. This arrangement allows of a very convenient and simple structure which when in open posiformed which is adapted to be 38, and the terminals tion occupies about three times the cubic space that it does when in folded position so that if the crates should be shipped in open position where for instance it would take three car loads to ship them, they could be returned in folded positioninone car load.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s j I 1. A foldable crate comprising a body portion having metallic strips placed upon the mner surface thereof, end sections hingedly secured to said strips and adapted 'to be folded against the inner surface of the bottom, a central partition hinged to said strips adapted to be folded upon one of said end sections, a front section rigidly secured to the bottom, a front wall hinged 'to said rigid section and adapted to be folded over upon said partition, a rear section rigid with said bottom and of greater height thansaid rigid front section, a rear wall hinged to said last mentioned rigid section and adapted to be folded over upon said front hinged wall, a cover having side and end portions adapted tobe mounted upon and around said folded body section, lugs carried by the front and rear walls and bifurcated latching members carried by the end sections adapted to interlock with the lugs of'the front and rear walls.

2 A foldable crate comprising a cover, a

body portion protected by said cover having hinged front and rear walls-and hinged end sections, said end sections having suitable aperturesat each edge portion near the top thereof, said front and rear walls hav-v ing metallic strips on the inner faces thereof along the end edges thereof, each of. said metallic strips having a hookedlug thereon and a metallic latching device mounted upon the top edgeof each end section having bifurcated downward turned ends adapted to hook over said hooked 'lugs'to lock said crate in assembled open position.

.3. A foldable'crate comprising end sections having recesses in their end portions near the top thereof, latching members mounted upon said end sections partially covering said recesses,.hinged front and rear walls having metallic strips with hooked lugs there upon adapted to seat in said recesses andlocked by said latching members, a cover to said crate having thimble mountedapertures therein, and means mounted in said apertures adapted to lockrsaid cover to said crate when used in open or folded position.

- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence witnesses.

A. J STILWELL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

